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Choosing A Beginner Detector

L

lstevens

New member
I will be leading a project that will require the purchase of several detectors. ALL users will be beginners to Metal Detecting. I have narrowed my choices to the following:

1) Tesoro Compadre w/5.75 coil
2) Tesoro Compadre w/8.00 coil
3) Tesoro Golden uMax
4) Tekneticks Delta 4000

These units will be used for General Detecting in the Boston (urban) area, as well as on dry sand beaches. The budget will cover any of the above, so I am looking to find the best option amongst them as if their cost were equal.

I was initially taking a great leaning toward the Tesoro Line due to their lifetime warranty. However, given that Teknetics gives a 5 year warranty, and the possibility that Tesoro (or ANY company) may not even be in business in five years, I now consider the two warranties to be essentially equal.

So, it all comes down to which Detector would be the best for a beginner user for general use in the areas enumerated above. I've done a great amount of reading, and have come up with some impressions (that I welcome to be confirmed or challenged):

-It seems that most people feel that ANY of the 4 would be a reasonable choice
-The Compadre seems to have some "magic sauce: over the others. Perhaps more "raw" power?
-Opinion seems to be divided over the benefit of the 5 or 8 inch coil for my application if the Compadre is selected
-The Silver uMax and the Teknetics Delta look like they have a lot of similarities.
-The Teknetics Delta seems to excel in "pinpointing" a target

So, there I stand. Wanting to choose the "best" amongst a group of good units amongst differing opinions.

I realize there is no magic or "fixed" answer, but will appreciate any and all opinions & suggestions to help me make an informed choice.
 
You said ALL USERS... There might be a problem if you stick with all detectors being the same. You will get cross talk between the detectors when close together, It might be a good idea to mix up the brands. I hope someone else will jump in here to help what I am trying to tell you. I hope you have fun. It sounds like fun to me... KEN
 
Sorry: my fault. You make a VERY GOOD point. But, in this case, the users won't be working closely together. For purposes of training, I want to keep the model the same.
 
BTW, if anyone wants to recommend a DIFFERENT Detector (not on my list), by all means please do, and tell me why. However, do to budget constraints, I want to stay in the "ballpark" price of the ones I've mentioned.(Unless one for a higher price is greatly more effective for the intended use).
 
lstevens said:
BTW, if anyone wants to recommend a DIFFERENT Detector (not on my list), by all means please do, and tell me why. However, do to budget constraints, I want to stay in the "ballpark" price of the ones I've mentioned.(Unless one for a higher price is greatly more effective for the intended use).
Click to expand...

You sure opened a can of worms with that!

The Fisher F2 is regarded by many as the best machine in its price category. The availability of the 4 inch searchcoil is an important plus. I think it runs in the vicinity of $200.

The Teknetics Eurotek Pro is relatively new and marketed mostly in Europe, hence not a lot of forum history on it. However the reviews have been overwhelmingly favorable. I think it runs about $200.

If you regard ground phase balanced all metals operation as an important feature, you might want to look into the Bounty Hunter Platinum which is a bit of a sleeper in its price range because of its limited marketing. I think it runs about $300.

If bottom dollar is really important, the Bounty Hunter Tracker IV is an excellent beginner machine. Yeah, I know it looks like a muffler on a stick and the meter is only more slightly useful than a hood ornament, but once you get past that silliness the thing works exceptionally well down to about 5-6 inches and a little deeper on larger stuff under most conditions. I think it runs about $110.

NOTE: the pricing I mention above is based on things I've seen in advertising by retailers, where pricing varies with who, what, how, where, and when. The numbers I provide are just a general guideline.

* * * * * * * * *

All that having been said, when it comes to selecting a machine for your project, what's "best" is hard to say without knowing what you actually intend to do with them and what expectations you have. For example, if you're just trying to teach people how to use a metal detector, and you've got a really tight budget, the Tracker IV will fill that need nicely. If you do your homework you can probably find a way to buy the thing nearly half off, but I'm not at liberty to divulge the details how to do that. On the other hand, if finding coin-sized stuff deeper than 5-6 inches is essential to your project, the TK4 is the wrong choice, and you probably need to go as upscale as your budget can afford. Some applications require a phase ground balanced all metals mode. When it comes to buried targets, once you get past 5-6 inches, design and manufacturing challenges become much more difficult and usable "depth" costs ya.

--Dave J.
 
A project that requires a beginner to teach other beginners how to use entry level metal detectors. No concern about depth or ground coverage. So the project is really about getting certain people out and about.

Mr Stevens, I'd push you over to the Teknetics EuroTek Pro. It is a better performer than the Tesoro Compadre and Silver uMax. Easier to learn to use than the Delta. You can set it up, save the settings and send the folks out without having to worry about bumped knobs having to be reset. The display is as simple as you can get. Easy to tell when the batteries need replacing. Has the 5 year warranty. Take a look at them and read the manual.

Buy two or three with the stock coil setup, buy one with the 11" DD setup and you'll have 4 detectors with one having a more specialized coil for when you need it.

For electronic pinpointers to help with target retrival, get several of the $20 Little Wizard II probes. I started out with one of those and I still think they are the best electronic pinpointer for the money spent.

Good luck,
HH
Mike






.
 
My advice would be to get a simple detector with no tone id or screen of any kind.Teach those new to the hobby the very basics of metal detecting without them being influenced by bells and whistles.I've seen to many beginners getting bored very quickly because they were using detectors with screens and tone id.......the detector is telling them one thing and they are digging stuff that does'nt match up with the info they are getting.There is nothing worse than for a beginner to see coin or silver shown on a screen and they dig up foil.I believe that a simple beep and dig machine keeps them interested as part of the fun is not knowing what they are about to unearth.Keep it simple and they will be happy.
 
I'd go with either one of the compadres, The smaller coil is great in small areas, tot lot, close to metal. The larger coil will cover more area as you sweep. It's a turn on and go machine, very simple to learn, and has a life time warranty. Tesoro is a great co to deal with if you have a problem. The compadre is one of the lightest machines to carry.It runs on 1 9volt batt. plus you can discriminate with the machine. I have one and it's a great machine. good luck.
 
I might add a little to Mike's post.
The Eurotek Pro has a very large screen and an accurate ID system that is a very important feature for most detector users. With a little practice the user can ID most coins with ease. Has good depth even at a sensitivity setting of 6. It is very well balanced and the shaft can be shorted to fit young adults. The stock 8" coil is adaquate for most beginners and provides good coverage and depth for the price. That about covers it.
 
For my first detector, I chose the Garret pro 350. It sure finds the stuff and I am learning fast what the bells and whistles are for. I am finding junk in my yard I didn't expect! Did I do well?

Dave
 
I suggest the Compadre for its simplicity and fun factor. The low cost and lifetime warranties are just a bonus. Maybe a few 8" coils and a few of the 5.75" as well. "X" 'ing your target is simple to pinpoint with Tesoros i have found, no pinpointing button needed.
 
Metal detectors come under broad variety of magneto meters. According the range of use you intend you can choose from numerous products available in the market. If you have limited priorities you can go on with your selected choice. While we limit gradiometer magnetometer to normal uses it can be quite affordable with minimum options, range and delectability. Magnetometers have wide range of uses starting from metal detection to mineral exploration. Consider doing more research on its variety of uses.
 
For beginners The VDI will be key. VDI is easier to learn than the tones. Once the VDI is learned the tones are learned easier. So I would only recomend any of the Euroteks, Alpha, or F2.
 
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